HUNTERS OFFER BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF FALL TURKEY SEASON.Byline: Jim Niemiec Special to the Daily News SPRINGVILLE - The fall turkey season opens Saturday and based on reports coming from late-season deer hunters, Upland game bird Upland game bird is an American term which refers to those non-water fowl game birds hunted with pointing breeds, flushing spaniels, and retrievers. Upland game include the following:
The cold and wet weather has bunched many birds and they have been very vocal as they prepare for winter. ``I am seeing birds on ranches and in the national forest and it's looking very similar to last fall when turkey hunting was excellent,'' guide Bill Sweetser said. Upland game-bird hunters looking to bag a wild turkey for Thanksgiving dinner The centerpiece of contemporary Thanksgiving in the United States is a large meal, starring a large roasted turkey. All of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving Dinner are made from foods native to North America, according to tradition the Pilgrims received these should consider a hunt on the slopes of the western High Sierras, along the coastal mountains or vineyards of Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern . Now that most of the national forests have reopened, hunters have access to some prime turkey habitat. The Los Padres National Forest Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland. Elevations range from sea level to 8,831 feet. would be one place to find a fall gobbler gobbler male turkey. Called also tom. and the Greenhorn Mountain Greenhorn Mountain is the highest point in the Wet Mountains of Southern Colorado and at 12,347 feet above sea level is just high enough to pass tree line which is about 11,500 feet in this part of Colorado. The massive mountain can be seen from Pueblo and all along Interstate 25. area northwest of Lake Isabella Lake Isabella is a man-made earthen reservoir in Kern County, California that consists of a main and auxiliary dam. It was formed in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Kern River at the junction of its two forks at Whiskey Flat. is another good choice. San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. County does not have a fall turkey season. There is a good huntable population of turkey within a short drive thanks to a strong carry-over of adult birds from previous years and an excellent spring hatch of jakes and jennies. Fall turkey hunting takes a lot of scouting and time in the field to locate a flock of huntable birds. There are not many guides available for the fall season but Sweetser heads up Blue Ridge Guide Service and is offering a package for a fall turkey hunt. ``I have ranches that are loaded with birds and I need to harvest some of these birds to keep the population in balance with the excellent habitat on my properties,'' Sweetser said. ``Last fall ... there were some huge toms bagged, but many hunters opted to shoot a better eating jake or fat hen fat hen chenopodiumalbum. for Thanksgiving dinner.'' The hunting package offered by Sweetser includes two days of hunting on private land, expert fall hunting techniques that usually put a hunter within effective shotgun range and transportation in the field. Spring turkey hunts are expensive, but two days of hunting the fall season with Blue Ridge Guide Service is $350. And it's less than a two-hour drive from the Valley. Camouflage is mandatory for fall hunts and make sure to bring a comfortable cushion and rain gear. The best shotgun load for killing a fully feathered turkey would be Federal's Premium Grand Slam copper plated No. 4 shot. Weather doesn't appear to affect fall turkey hunts as much as it does in the spring. Usually, a fall flock of turkeys will be broken up and then called back to the hunter. This technique seems to produce more birds because they become vocal when they attempt to get back in their traditional winter flocks. The fall turkey season ends Nov. 28 and the limit is one bird of either gender, with a possession limit of one bird for the season. A valid hunting license is required and all hunters over the age of 16 must have an Upland Game Bird Stamp. There are plenty of wild turkey on nearby national forest land that has opened to access after winter storms moved through the Southland and reduced the extreme fire danger. A fall turkey hunter will greatly increase the chance of shooting a gobbler when hunting with an outfitter who has access to private ranches, where birds are flocked. For information on fall turkey hunting, contact the San Joaquin Valley Noun 1. San Joaquin Valley - a vast valley in central California known for its rich farmland Calif., California, Golden State, CA - a state in the western United States on the Pacific; the 3rd largest state; known for earthquakes and Southern Sierra regional office of the Department of Fish and Game at (559) 484-0459. For details on Sweetser's hunts, call (559) 359-7671. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion